The Galileoscope

erick (Eric) · #1 23-02-2009, 09:38 AM

https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/content/specifications

Looking forward to the review article!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU47zpattVI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc9Po2roJBE

OK, where are we going to be able to buy them in Australia? Which Society is getting in plenty of stock?

(Just checked - whether you buy 2 or 100, shipping to Oz seems to be US$15+ per scope.)

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #2 23-02-2009, 07:53 PM

A great find Erick

Our society is holding 7 public sessions at the UWS domes S/W Sydney during the IYA2009 year. These little trinkets might be just the ticket to make available to the public in attendance.

renormalised (Carl) · #3 23-02-2009, 08:13 PM

What a great idea for clubs and societies....the kids will love them!!!

Great idea for schools as well

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #4 24-02-2009, 08:05 AM

How to take the shine off? Easy - ship them!

I just went through the order process, with the intention of ordering 20 scope kits and having them shipped to Australia.

20 x US$15 for the scopes - US$300 (AU$465 - or AU$23.30 ea)

Shipping - US$305 - which brings each scopes landed cost to US$30.30 or AU$46.90

Hmm.. then you have to make a slight profit for your club or organisation...not so attractive any more.

erick (Eric) · #5 24-02-2009, 09:29 AM

Yes, the shipping cost stopped me.

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #6 24-02-2009, 10:20 AM

Don't despair Eric. We've written off to them to explain the problem. What costs 15 bucks to a parent in the USA costs 46 bucks to an Aussie. It ain't going to happen. If their goal is to get them out to the world, they'll have to do MUCH better on the shipping. They assume that we want them tomorrow morning, and price accordingly....

erick (Eric) · #7 24-02-2009, 10:27 AM

They might not just be "trinkets". I suspect, from the images I have seen, that they might perform pretty well when stacked up against cheap scopes. And you can put in a better 1.25" eyepiece to help it along.

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #8 24-02-2009, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

They might not just be "trinkets". I suspect, from the images I have seen, that they might perform pretty well when stacked up against cheap scopes. And you can put in a better 1.25" eyepiece to help it along.

You and I know that, but from the way that I've observed the parents that are in attendance on behalf of their interested children at our public night events, they even naively consider our large mega-dollar scopes "trinkets". Most have no idea, and would just want to get Johnny something to keep him happy until they get home - like a show bag. Mind you - there are plenty of others who are inspired...

dannat (Daniel) · #9 24-02-2009, 11:02 AM

Am interested, will still order a couple but would be interested to participate in a bulk order, looks like you have put your hand up Eric

erick (Eric) · #10 24-02-2009, 01:42 PM

As I recall, when I put in 100, it gave a $250 discount on the $1,500 purchase price - but shipping remained the same - around US$15 per scope. I'll pay A$25-30 per scope for a few but not $45+

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #11 24-02-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

As I recall, when I put in 100, it gave a $250 discount on the $1,500 purchase price - but shipping remained the same - around US$15 per scope. I'll pay A$25-30 per scope for a few but not $45+

Have you told them that?

I have. I wrote an email stating that it was too expensive for overseas non-profit organisations to partake in their efforts. At Nearly AU$50 each, they would not be considered an impulse buy and were close to being as expensive as some larger ultra-cheap reflectors including mount (Warehouse, Crazy Johns, etc for $35-$50).

astronut (John) · #12 24-02-2009, 03:25 PM

I know what their answer is going to be Chris, "It's not our fault that the$US to $AUD exchange is so lousy"
True, but never the less a lousy situation.

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #13 24-02-2009, 03:44 PM

I think that they cabn do better than that John, and so does Geoff. We've both sent emails to them from what appear to be different sources, so we'll see what they say. We don't need them tomorrow, so I don't think we'd beed to pay for that. Anyway...here's hoping!

erick (Eric) · #14 24-02-2009, 03:58 PM

In my view it's just the shipping cost. If that could come down to a couple of dollars per scope, I'd be OK.

No, I didn't say anything. I cannot imagine that they haven't thought about it. I was hoping some big Society would sort it out, cut a deal and get in hundreds and hundreds so we could buy locally.

renormalised (Carl) · #15 24-02-2009, 06:54 PM

Better yet, make a local version.

TJD (Trevor) · #16 24-02-2009, 06:57 PM

you can buy a 50mm refractor from dick smith electrical for only $50 and i got mine for $23 on a big sale the mount needed a bit of grease but after that perfect no shipping cost

the galileo scope may seem exspencive
but even at $50 there still cheap if you weigh up the cost (1.25 inche eyepiece and so on)
cheap for what you get.

erick (Eric) · #17 27-02-2009, 01:33 PM

A Cloudy Nights forum response:-

Quote:
Has any one else from outside North America calculated the shipping cost.

To Europe/NL shipping is $19.

I bought two scopes for $50. Thanks to the favorable exchange rate, the scopes are still affordable even with shipping.

And this reference:-

http://www.journaltimes.com/articles...c112221953.txt

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #18 27-02-2009, 01:49 PM

The official response. Not very good of them. I'm afraid. Look like they won't even discuss different shipping methods. The shipping rate for 100 scopes is still high per unit!!
-------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:

Unfortunately we can't give you a better shipping rate for 20 kits. If you'd like to resell Galileoscopes, I recommend that you try to pool a big order with other clubs (or science museums, or schools, etc.) in your area, so that you can get the volume up over 100 kits. Then we'd be able to ship the telescopes by freight service and give you a better rate. Also, the price of the kits themselves would drop from US$15 to US$12.50.
Thanks for your interest in the Galileoscope. Clear skies!

Rick Fienberg
Galileoscope, LLC

Should we look at seeing who here is interested, and then try to gather other parties together from the different forums and clubs?

-------------------------------------------------
Dr. Richard Tresch Fienberg
Chair, IYA2009 Galileoscope Task Group
Editor Emeritus, Sky & Telescope
Visiting Scientist, Phillips Academy[/QUOTE]

erick (Eric) · #19 27-02-2009, 02:06 PM

Funny thing is we are comparing shipping from China to the USA versus shipping to Oz - didn't know we were several times further away from China than the USA?

erick (Eric) · #20 27-02-2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Should we look at seeing who here is interested, and then try to gather other parties together from the different forums and clubs?

From what I have read of them so far, I think we could use hundreds, if not thousands in Australia. They would appear to be an acceptable quality cheap introduction. But it's up to either clubs/societies or retailers or institutions to take the lead. Obviously it will be difficult to also add a local shipping component as well so maybe there is a way of a bulk order being distributed to multiple capital cities so local pickup is possible.